Health literacy among undergraduate students in Tianjin, China: A cross-sectional study
2
Issued Date
2026-02-12
Resource Type
ISSN
23116897
eISSN
23103868
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105036824828
Journal Title
International Journal of Education and Practice
Volume
14
Issue
2
Start Page
457
End Page
466
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
International Journal of Education and Practice Vol.14 No.2 (2026) , 457-466
Suggested Citation
Guo H. Health literacy among undergraduate students in Tianjin, China: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Education and Practice Vol.14 No.2 (2026) , 457-466. 466. doi:10.18488/61.v14i2.4912 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/116486
Title
Health literacy among undergraduate students in Tianjin, China: A cross-sectional study
Author(s)
Author's Affiliation
Corresponding Author(s)
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Abstract
This study aimed to assess the health literacy levels of undergraduate students, analyze its component structure, and compare gender differences among students in Tianjin, China. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 405 students from Tianjin universities, using stratified multistage sampling. Health literacy was measured through a validated multidimensional instrument covering five domains: reading, access to information, understanding, appraisal, and decision-making/behavioral intention. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, confirmatory factor analysis, and an independent-samples t-test. Results indicated that Tianjin undergraduates had a moderate overall health literacy level. Among the domains, understanding and appraisal were relatively stronger, while reading was weaker; all domains showed positive intercorrelations. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a good model fit with significant factor loadings, supporting a coherent five-domain structure. No statistically significant gender differences were observed in overall health literacy. These findings suggest that higher education should emphasize strengthening support for functional reading and information navigation, integrating comprehension-to-decision activities into health education, and ensuring students can access reliable digital and offline health information through coordinated campus initiatives.